Uncertainty
by GBlackwell
Summary: Roy Mustang didn't know how to react around Selim. Neither did Riza, for that matter. But they had to learn, since Elysia insists they treat her best friend right...


**I have tons of other stories to update, a novel to write, and a Royai idea that I am working on and what do I do? Publish a completely unrelated story, of course! Sorry to anyone who was expecting an update on my other stories. I had this idea and I decided to get it off my mind.**

**Some ideas for this I got off of a Tvtropes WMG page. Others are adapted from my other story, "The Fate of the Elric Children." If you haven't read that story, then DON'T. It is not my best work and you probably won't enjoy it. DON'T READ IT. If you already have, then let me say that this doesn't tie in completely neatly, either, but adapts the situation for this sake of this idea.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy.**

* * *

"What am I?"

A pause.

"You've always pretended to know more about myself than I do. You're always saying these things about the kind of… being I am. Saying that I'm inhuman… but, you mean it not only as an insult but as statement of who I am."

Silence.

"I want to know. I'm tired of this charade. I'm tired of these hints and clues and half-truths and misleading statements. I'm tired of seeing the _Fuhrer _keep his gloves on every time I'm at the dinner table… I've figured out what the gloves are for, and I won't deny that makes me a little nervous. I'm tired of seeing the first-lady look at me like she's about to shoot me. Or at least, I'm tired of dealing with all of these things and still not knowing the truth."

More silence. He folded his arms and continued.

"I realize that you owe me absolutely nothing. But know this: If you do not tell me yourself, then I swear that I will do anything possible to find out myself. And whatever methods I may use… I cannot guarantee that they will be as… clean as it would be if you just told me."

He smirked.

"And I _will _find out the truth. It's as easy and breaking into the right office and stealing the right files. And if it's not on file, then it's as simple as swallowing the right human. I can absorb the memories of any other person..."

"So, I believe it would be in your best interests to tell me what I am. It will work out better for everyone that way."

* * *

Riza Mustang felt every muscle in her body tense. Of course, she kept this reaction invisible to anyone who might be watching, but the sudden alertness was still there.

_What was that…? A noise?_ She whirled around, and saw Selim Bradley standing in the hall behind her.

"Hello, ma'am," Selim said, his face open and honest-looking.

"Selim…you startled me," she said in a voice that managed to be in completely calm monotone.

"I doubt that, ma'am," Selim smiled, "You're fearless, right? Completely immovable." He walked closer to her, causing chills to go down her spine. She disliked being around Selim during the best of times. Not that she thought he had reverted to his homunculus self, but even so, she couldn't help but remember the aura of death that used to hang around him.

Today, for some reason, she was remembering it vividly. "What are you doing here, Selim?" she asked.

"I'm looking for Elysia," he said.

"Oh."

"She insisted that I meet her here. She went to go to see the Elric children earlier today, I think," Selim said, his face and voice perfectly casual. "How are those two, anyways?"

"The boy's normally in prison for one mishap or another and the girl's even more loudmouthed than her father," Riza said.

Strangely, Selim grinned (she had never seen him with a full smile on his face. He often had a pleasant expression, but somehow he managed to look courteous without ever stretching his lips beyond a near-smirk) "Well, of course. But how is their health? They haven't injured themselves, have they?"

This was odd. Selim had never taken an interest in the Elrics before. Whenever they had come to Central, Selim always seemed to slink off into some other activity. He only met them if Elysia insisted upon it. Not that he showed any reluctance or distaste for them, either, just that he seemed indifferent (or was he deliberately avoiding it and just pretending non-chalance...?)

"Why do you want to know?" she asked.

Selim shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose you could say I empathize with them. They grew up without a father, as well."

(Edward Elric. Missing for sixteen years now. Everyone had accepted that he was dead, and yet no body had been found…)

"Besides, it would be a shame if anything happened to anyone in the extended family," Selim finished.

'The family' was the term Elysia had invented for the conglomerate group formed by Mustang, his family, his men, and anyone else that had somehow gotten involved in that group over the years. Riza supposed that the Elrics would be a distant branch of that family.

"Well, I'm certain they'll be fine. Whatever mishap they've gotten themselves into recently."

Selim smiled more brightly. "How is your son, by the way?"

For some reason, Riza felt her insides curl. If this was the old Selim, she would have taken that as a definite threat. "Fine."

"Of course, he must be doing well in school. You discipline him so… strictly. It's admirable, actually. I felt somehow encouraged when I saw little Maes salute his father with a perfect, disciplined face just like your own. Respect for one's father. It's a beautiful thing, isn't it?"

Riza hesitated for a moment. "I suppose it depends on what kind of father," she agreed cautiously.

"Oh come now," Selim said, "Any father, so long as he provides his son what he needs, is worthy of complete respect and obedience, I would think." Then, the violet-eyed boy laughed a little bitterly, "Not that I would know." He stopped and looked Riza directly in the eye. "I grew up without one, after all."

* * *

"I wasn't dropping _hints. _Of course I wouldn't do something so ridiculous. The Mustangs haven't the slightest idea about… no."

He paused for a while, before sighing in exasperation not unlike a normal young person's. "You really are such a practical drag. Of course I don't want to be destroyed or sent to a laboratory. I was just having a little fun. It's always nice to see if I can break through Mrs. Mustang's mask a little bit." He paused again, and continued, "No, I didn't succeed, but you know, one can't help but..."

He stopped abruptly, and his head snapped around. He opened his bedroom door and looked down the hallway, checking to see if anyone was listening. No one. He sighed, locked the door, and flopped down on his bed.

"This is really becoming a hassle." Another pause. "Them shadowing me, of course! Keeping up this complacent, humble exterior to keep them pacified. I don't even _remember _what… Yes, I'm _sure _they have their reasons, _perfectly_ justifiable ones," his voice was scathingly sarcastic, "Don't all of you humans? At any rate… it's downright annoying! These humans… Yes, I didn't exclude you from that description." Selim's face formed a disdainful frown. "You'd think they'd either leave me alone or kill me after all this time… they ought to end this tiresome charade."

Selim was quiet for a long time, and then he snapped angrily, "Stop calling me a hypocrite! I am not lowering my values just because these pathetic… Elysia? _Elysia's _different… _and _so is my mother. And don't you dare tell me otherwise… No, I'm not bending my values or trying to find loopholes in them. "

Another pause, "Just shut up. I can't believe I'm still sane after dealing with you all this time. _Yes," _Selim said testily, "I am perfectly aware that you did not choose this situation, but I didn't either. Or at least, I don't remember… No, I am not trying to excuse myself, just…You know what? Whatever. I'm going to go find some excuse to pester the Fuhrer now."

* * *

"Selim," Mustang said. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Elysia, sir. Have you seen her around?"

"No."

"What a shame. She said she'd meet me here. Oh well," Selim flopped down in one of the library chairs. "I hope you won't mind my asking, sir, but for the sake of conversation, what are you reading?"

"_Basic Alchemy I."_

"Basic alchemy? But, sir, you are a master alchemist! You have no need to read those texts."

Mustang sighed, "It's for my son. I am teaching him, and so therefore I re-read old alchemy texts so that the material is fresh in my mind to teach."

Selim's eyes were wide, "Excellent. You must be a very good father. Not that I would be the best judge, having none that I remember." The young man smiled, a tiny trace of bitterness behind the expression. "What's it like for young Maes? I know the First Lady keeps him very strictly in order…"

"He is required to get up at six every morning, salute us and report for duty, follow an academic and physical routine designed by Mrs. Mustang herself, eat three healthy meals a day (snack food must be approved by Mrs. Mustang), study alchemy with me for three hours every night, and be in bed by eight o'clock every night."

Selim nodded, "Well, it sounds like a busy life for a ten-year-old. Still, he seems to hold a lot of affection for his parents. I envy your family, sir."

Mustang responded, "I doubt envy is your thing, Selim…"

"At any rate, if you are bothering to re-read alchemy texts, then you must be working hard to do a good job as a father."

"As any father should."

"But in your case, you're probably even more careful, considering that you only have one child."

He didn't like how Selim says it. It sounded almost like a threat. Or did it? Maybe he was just imagining it.

"If you don't mind my boring you for a few minutes," the dark-haired young man said, "I have a book I have been reading. I find it very interesting."

"Oh?"

Selim nodded, "A book about Xingese spiritual beliefs. They have the oddest ideas over there."

"It must be fascinating," Mustang said, his brain zoning out.

"It is. The most interesting thing I read in it is the idea of reincarnation. Basically, that after one dies they are reborn into a new body with a blank slate. They are _reincarnated._"

"Oh?"

"Yes. So, you might be the reincarnation of… I don't know, Ahaseurus of Xerxes. Or Mrs. Mustang might be the reincarnation of Joan of Creta."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Mustang said.

"But it gets even weirder. In a past life, one might not have even been human. Like me, for example."

Mustang froze.

"I might have not been human in a previous life," Selim said, his smile (smirk?) even wider, "A dog, maybe? Anyway, this belief has made me ask some interesting questions. What if, for example, you knew someone to be the reincarnation of a mass murderer? Would you kill them, to stop them from causing mischief?"

Mustang's hand twitched. His thoughts suddenly went to his gloves. The flame ones were _still _one after all.

"For that matter, if the soul of the mass murderer does not remember any of his crimes, then does he still need to pay for those crime in his next life? What do you think, sir?"

"I am not familiar with Xingese philosophy at all, so I wouldn't be qualified…."

Selim leaned forward in his chair, "But sir, I am not asking you for a professional opinion as some sort of expert. Philosophy hardly works that way. I am asking for your personal belief. Should someone who committed mass murder in a past life pay for his crimes when he is reincarnated as an innocent baby?"

"Such a question…would be out of my authority to answer."

"But you are the Fuhrer. Surely, you have very strong ideas about justice."

Mustang took a deep breath. Was this some kind of test that the homunculus was putting before him? Had he remembered everything, and was just toying with them all? Or was he just innocently asking a question that interested him for reasons even he didn't know? Mustang responded, after some thought, "I believe that they shouldn't pay for it. However, if they show similar behavior to what they did in their past life, then they must be dealt with."

"Dealt with how?"

"That depends on how grievous their behavior is."

Selim raised his eyebrows in admiration, "That is an excellent answer, sir. Perhaps you should teach political philosophy, if you ever want to retire from ruling the country."

"It doesn't matter if it is a 'good' answer," Mustang said, "It matters if it is true. Do you believe that to be the truth, Selim?"

Selim smirked (it was definitely a smirk this time.) He recited, " 'There is no truth. No idea of justice is superior to the other.' "

"What…?"

" 'However, any idea of justice is superior to having none. Thus, the quest of man must be to find some ideal to live by, and live by it without compromising it. Whether that idea is the pursuit of justice, the refusal to take lives, even on the battlefield, or the resolve to follow the orders of the government, it doesn't matter. What matters is that the person lives by their selected ideal uncompromisingly and without hypocrisy.' "

"What's that from?" Mustang asked.

"_The Philosophical Treatise of Zolf J. Kimbley."_

Mustang jumped, "Kimbley?" he asked, a bit more dumbfounded than he should have allowed himself to show.

"Yes. He later gained fame as an alchemist in Ishval, but before he became a state alchemist he published several philosophical papers. Apparently, he wanted to be a philosophy professor before taking the state alchemy exam."

"I… never knew that about him."

"Recently, his writings are being rediscovered and are being acclaimed for their unusual thinking. He's gained quite a posthumous following."

"…Really."

Selim leaned back in his chair, "I enjoy his essays very much. Would you like to read a few? I have copies."

"No thank you, Selim. I… think I have to run now."

"Tell me if you see Elysia."

* * *

Mustang hadn't immediately connected the "young" man to the disappearance of Edward Elric so many years ago. Selim had just had his eight birthday around that time, and every report about him had said that he showed no signs of abnormality, other than high intelligence and some social problems at school. But seeing as the latter and former seemed to go together anyway, he didn't feel that there was much to be worried about.

But years later, when Elysia introduced her "best friend ever" to him (none other than Selim Bradley) it had stroked his memory.

What enemies had Fullmetal made, anyway?

How could a body disappear without a trace?

There was one very, very easy answer to both of those questions, one that could explain everything, and it came to him shortly after Elysia's "best friend" was introduced to him.

(Too late. Just too late. There was no way to prove it, now. And you can't set a potentially innocent "person" on fire just because of suspicion.)

* * *

He had heard about the night that Elysia went to her Senior Prom. She had a lovely dress and apparently was supposed to go out with a guy she had been crushing on for quite a while… what was his name, Dash? At any rate, Elysia was looking forward to the event, when suddenly whatever-his-name-was had dumped her to go with another girl.

Gracia had told him that Elysia had been in tears about it. But apparently, one of Elysia's platonic friends had stepped in, and Elysia had had a date, so it wasn't a total loss.

He had been talking to Elysia, his niece in all but name, when he had said, "About this Dash fellow or whatever… I can always make sure that there isn't a body…"

Elysia giggled, "Uncle Roy, you really don't need to be so violent. Besides, I'm actually glad he dumped me now. I mean, now that I think about it, he was shallow and stupid. Besides, Selim and I had a wonderful time."

Roy choked on his drink.

"Are you okay, Uncle Roy?" Elysia had asked, concerned as he turned purple.

"…Selim? _Selim's _the one that took you to the prom?"

"Yeah!" Elysia said, turning a little pink from the memory. "He heard what happened, and said that he would be willing to take me if I didn't get another date. And I _did _get another date, but I decided that Selim would be a better choice… because we're best friends, of course. Not that we're actually involved. Of course not. But anyway, he took me, and… apparently, all of my friends who didn't know him were _so _jealous. Because he's really handsome, you know. And he looks like he's my age. And he's a really good dancer too, I wonder where he learned it, and..."

"Elysia," Mustang said, interrupting. "Tell me you're not thinking of dating Selim."

"What? Of course not. He doesn't feel that way about me at all. I'm too old for him."

Mustang was relieved, though he felt a little uneasy. Her saying that _he _didn't feel that way, or that _she _was the one that was too old made it seem like she didn't object to it herself, but just felt that Selim would… but he was certain that there was nothing between them. Nothing at all.

It was about a week later when he heard Riza talking to Gracia on the phone. He saw Riza's face drop suddenly, before she said, "Okay. Talk to you later, Gracia."

"What happened?"

"They're dating. Elysia and…Selim."

Mustang groaned, and seriously considered lighting the homunculus on fire.

* * *

"No. No. Just no."

Pause.

"I many times do I have to say 'no' before you get it?"

Pause.

"I. Am _not. _Going. To stop. Seeing. Elysia. The sooner you get that through your head, the better."

He tapped his foot in annoyance.

"Age difference be damned! ...Different species? Pfft!"

Another pause.

"Who cares about what my values would have said about this thirty years ago! For the last time, I don't even…"

He caught himself. It wouldn't be good if he was caught saying something like that out loud.

"…Why? Why do I like her?" he said, continuing in a quieter tone, but no less sharp, "Seriously, who _wouldn't? _She's beautiful, charming, lively, intelligent, she was the only other child at my entire school who didn't shun me…"

Yet another bit of silence. This one lasted very long, and halfway through Selim's foot stopped tapping abruptly. He took in a sharp breath.

"She will _never _find out."

* * *

"What do you mean, 'I should slow down with Selim?'" Elysia asked hotly.

Roy massaged his forehead. This wasn't going to be easy. "I just think that… you might want to be careful around him."

Elysia gaped, "Careful? Around _Selim? _Are you insane? Or is there some other guy named Selim that I need to be worried about? You know, _other _than the kind, courteous, intelligent, thoughtful, considerate, sensitive Selim that I've known since I was ten years old and recently started dating?"

"No, I am referring to that Selim."

Elysia shook her head. "You're off you're rocker! What on earth would make you doubt _him?"_

_He's a homunculus, and one of the people that killed your father, and possibly Edward Elric... _except he couldn't say that. "Well, to start out, you _are _a bit older than him…"

"By three years! That's nothing. Isn't Riza three years younger than you? Besides, he's way more mature than the guys my age. Sometimes I could swear he's a hundred years old."

_If only you knew. _"But other than the age difference, I just think that you…that he... well, you're both a little young to be…"

"Just because you and Mrs. Mustang waited until you were in your thirties to finally hook up, doesn't mean that we have to! Geez, you're so old-fashioned."

"It's not just that…"

"Well _what_ then?" Elysia snapped.

Mustang sighed, "I think that there's… something Selim is hiding." That wasn't true. But he had to make up some reason.

Elysia laughed at that, "Hiding? Selim? You're paranoid. There's no one more honest in the entire world. What makes you think there's something Selim's hiding?"

"Well…" _HE'S NOT HUMAN! _"He gives off a feeling of being tense."

"Only around you people! You all act so stiff around him that he feels uncomfortable. Really, you make him so nervous! He's always asking me, 'Will the Fuhrer be offended if I act like such and such' or 'What do you think is his estimation of me?' You scare the heck out of him. He's always like, 'I'm afraid that if I don't act up to a certain standard of behavior, the Fuhrer might not let me see you again.'"

"Is that what he said?" Mustang asked, curiously. It sounded so… well, normal. Being nervous around an important dignitary and not wanting to be rejected by the friends and family of the girl he admired were things to be expected in a young man.

… Unless it was actually wariness around his enemies and a cunning ploy to get close to Elysia so that he could gather information about them.

"Yes, it's what he said! Just lighten up and stop being so paranoid. There are worse people in the world than him. Actually, I'm certain he's one of the better people. He's so… kind with animals... and wise, giving such good advice… and charming, and sometimes," she laughed, "He can be really, really funny. And smart. I…"

Elysia's expression completely changed into a dreamy, longing look. That look… no. Just no. Mustang didn't like this, didn't like this expression he was seeing on the face of the girl who was all but a daughter to him.

Love?

Elysia ran her fingers tiredly through her hair, and looked back at him, "So, I'm not going to stop seeing Selim, if that's what you mean."

"No, just…"

"Uncle Roy," she said, her expression shifting playfully, "I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself."

There was a knock on the door to the living room, and of all people Selim poked his head in, "May I barge in right now?"

Before Mustang could say or do anything (his fingers twitched, ready to snap a fiery blaze at the "young man"), Elysia said, "Of course, you idiot! Come in or I'll knife you later!"

"Well, considering that I care for my health, I think I'll enter now." Selim came in, smiling slightly in his usual manner. He turned to the Fuhrer, and with a laconic click of his heels and an awkward military salute, he asked, "Fuhrer, sir! Permission to take Elysia to the theater tonight?"

The gesture was practically a parody of the usual formalities—not that it was impolite or rude, but rather than Selim seemed like he was pretending that he didn't know how to salute (and a "boy" who hadn't been in the military wouldn't be). It had a sort of charm to it that made Elysia giggle.

"Well, Uncle Roy?" she asked, her green eyes widening pleadingly.

Mustang shot Selim a suspicious look. Then, looking at Elysia, he sighed and said, "Fine. I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Thank you, sir," Selim said, "I bought the tickets ahead of time, so we could go opening night."

"Aww, you're too sweet, Selim," Elysia said, "I'll have to pay you back now."

"Nonsense. Consider it an early birthday present. Your birthday is in a week, after all."

Mustang felt his insides knot with protectiveness as the young couple took each other's hands. Selim put his hand on the doorknob, about to open the door and leave.

"It would be Edward Elric's birthday, as well."

Selim's had released the doorknob. "Oh?" he asked, not showing a hint of any emotion.

"His birthday was on the same day as Elysia's."

Selim had paused for a moment. Then, he turned back, his face in a rare, full grin. "Well, I'll have to reserve an extra seat for him at the theater."

Mustang could've sworn he saw the young man's eyes flash a malevolent shade of purple. Or was it just a trick of the light? He couldn't be sure.

He couldn't be sure of anything anymore.

* * *

**I don't like the flow of this. Something's off about it, I'm sure. Anyway, I saw this pairing suggested on TvTropes and I thought it was way too interesting to pass up.**

**I may write something continuing this, but for now I'll list it as complete, because I have a ton of other stuff to do and I don't want to promise a second chapter or sequel, in case I never write it.**

**Anyways... comments? Criticism? Flames? You know, I have never been flamed before, so I wouldn't mind having that singular experience. Were any of the characters OOC?**

**Thank you for your time. Please review.**


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